Journey to the West: Demon Emperor: Beginning as a Little Toad

Chapter 605 Using Intention to Calculate Unintentionally
The human world.

Southern Jambudvipa.

Chang'an City.

The river breeze from the Wei River, carrying the smell of fish, swept into the Chang'an fish market.

The slightly worn banners of the fish market taverns fluttered in the river breeze.

……

"My father always says I act rashly, only know how to act recklessly, and am not smart enough!"

"Hmph! I'll show Father that I, Tuojie, am not just a reckless brute who knows only how to act bravely!"

Think of this.

A rebellious spirit surged into my head.

The spoiled arrogance of the little alligator dragon, nurtured by excessive pampering, instantly gained the upper hand.

"clang!"

A few pieces of silver, carrying a strong gust of wind, were slammed heavily onto Dongfang Kuai's fortune-telling stall by the little alligator dragon, causing the tortoise shells and copper coins on the greasy table to jump.

He swished open his folding fan with a "whoosh," glanced sideways at the old man, and spoke with a tone full of provocation and contempt:

"That fortune teller!"

"These fishermen all say you're incredibly shrewd, knowledgeable in astronomy and geography, and even understand the mysteries of fish and dragon transformations perfectly?"

The little alligator's voice suddenly rose, drowning out the surrounding noise:

"I have nothing better to do today, so I'll see if you really have any skill, or if you're just spreading rumors and deceiving the world!"

"Come, tell me three fortunes!"

"If the calculation is accurate, I will reward you handsomely, with a hundred taels of gold being no object; if the calculation is inaccurate..."

The little alligator dragon sneered, its chilling aura emanating from it:

"Hmph! You and your old bones, you'd better think carefully about what to do with your fortune-telling stall!"

Tieguai Li slightly raised his eyelids, his turbid gaze sweeping lightly over the little alligator dragon and the shrewd "old steward" behind him, as if he were just looking at two ordinary mortal passersby.

However, the dense, unyielding aura of the water palace, the deliberately suppressed yet still leaking trace of dragon might, and especially the unique, deep, water elemental fluctuations of the turtle demon, could not escape its discerning eyes.

The big fish finally took the bait; it was a substantial, arrogant "little dragon."

"What does the young master wish to ask?"

Tieguai Li's voice was flat, revealing no emotion whatsoever.

The little dragon folding fan snapped shut, its ribs pointing directly at Dongfang Kuai's nose, and he said coldly:

"For this first divination, please tell me whether the legendary 'Golden-Scaled Hidden Dragon' can still be caught in this vast Chang'an fish market tomorrow?"

"If such a thing exists, what astonishing appearance would it have, and in what blessed land with flowing water would it be born?"

He sneered inwardly:
If this old man can truly predict the future, it proves that his evil abilities threaten the foundation of the Water Palace, and he must be eliminated as soon as possible.

If the calculation is inaccurate, then smash the stall on the spot and humiliate the person, thus establishing authority among the public and losing face!

……

Tieguai Li slowly raised his eyelids, his turbid gaze sweeping over the little alligator dragon and the turtle prime minister as if he were just looking at two ordinary rich young men and an old servant.

Faced with the overwhelming, intimidating, invisible dragon's might.

His face remained expressionless as he casually flicked a few gleaming copper coins across the greasy table with his withered fingers.

"Dang, Dang, Dang..."

"Dang, Dang, Dang..."

The copper coins collided and bounced inside the tortoise shell.

A moment later, Tieguai Li's fingers suddenly stopped, and the ringing of the copper coins immediately fell silent.

Tieguai Li pondered for a few moments before slowly speaking:
"Although the secrets of heaven are hidden, they are not elusive or difficult to find; there are always patterns to follow."

His fingertip lightly touched a certain pattern on the tortoise shell:
"At three quarters past 9 PM tomorrow, when the moon rises above the willow branches, at the confluence of the Ba and Wei rivers, where the waters surge and whirlpools form, a 'golden-backed, blue-armored turtle' will float on the water to breathe, inhaling and exhaling the moonlight."

"This turtle has a golden shell with golden dragon patterns hidden in the seams. Its head and neck are covered with green jade scales, and its belly is a flawless white jade. It has lived for more than three hundred years, and its intelligence has just begun to emerge. Its body contains the essence of acquired water element."

"This is the seed of dragon transformation. The karmic conditions have not yet arrived, so it hides here and is unknown to ordinary people."

"A golden-backed, blue-armored softshell turtle?!"

The little alligator's pupils contracted slightly, its heart filled with surprise and uncertainty.

It is only natural for sons to follow in their fathers' footsteps.

Now, as the "fake Wei River Dragon King" who is in charge of the eight rivers of Chang'an, he has already memorized the register of the eight rivers and the illustrations of the spirits in the water palace of Chang'an!
This golden-backed, blue-armored turtle!

He recognized this object; it was indeed one of the spiritual creatures recorded in his Jinghe Water Palace, which he paid close attention to and which had great potential to transform into a dragon!

This old man was able to calculate the appearance and exact time and place of these mysterious creatures with such precision, without the slightest error!
A chill instantly replaced the previous contempt and anger, rushing straight to the top of one's head!

If this person is allowed to exist, wouldn't the future foundation of his Jinghe Water Palace, which has the potential to transform into dragons and maintain the fortune of the aquatic race, be completely destroyed by his iron teeth and copper fangs?

The secrets of his Jinghe Water Palace were as clear as the lines on the palm of this old Taoist priest's hand.

hateful!

Terrible!
This evil Taoist priest must not be allowed to live in this world!
The little alligator grinned, revealing a cruel and amused smile, its sharp white teeth faintly visible.

"Good! Very good!"

"I will personally go and capture this golden-backed, blue-armored turtle to verify its authenticity."

Having said that, his gaze sharpened, carrying an even deeper provocation, as he posed his second difficult question:
"Second divination! Tell me, what color is the undergarment I'm wearing today?"

Even if this sorcerer possesses supernatural powers, how could he possibly know the color of his undergarments?

The little alligator dragon was certain that this seemingly simple question was the one that would most likely catch him off guard and put him in a difficult position.

……

However, Tieguai Li (Li Xuan) received the "Taiqing Dao Fa" personally taught by Laozi and was proficient in the I Ching and Bagua, so he did have some real skills.

The person in front of me is right next to me.

How could he possibly be kept in the dark about a secret that was so close at hand?

This is a trivial matter, as easy as turning one's hand.

Without even lifting his eyelids, Tieguai Li gently shook the tortoise shell again. The copper coins jingled, instantly forming a mysterious hexagram.

He raised his eyes, his cloudy gaze seemingly piercing through the brocade robes, and said calmly:

"Red, leaning towards pink."

"Pfft..."

"Hahaha……"

"Ouch!"

……

Before he could finish speaking, the onlookers who had been listening intently burst into suppressed snickers, which then erupted into an even louder uproar.

Countless gazes instantly focused on the little alligator dragon, filled with incredulous mischief and amusement at the spectacle.

How could such a dignified and imposing young nobleman be wearing such a delicate pink undergarment?!
This young master has such...unique tastes?

"you!"

Little Crocodile Dragon's heart trembled violently, his handsome face instantly changing color. This old Taoist priest even knew such private matters...

Seeing his embarrassment, Tieguai Li smiled slightly, a hint of mischief in his smile:
"Young master, would you like to peel off your outer garment and show it to everyone in public, so that I may prove that what I said is true?"

These words were like adding fuel to the fire!

"Hahahaha!"

"Peel it open and take a look! Don't be shy, young master!"

"Pink! I never knew you liked this, young master!"

……

The crowd could no longer contain themselves and burst into laughter and jeers.

Uncontrollable snickers erupted from the crowd.

The surrounding crowd looked at Dongfang Kuai with almost fanatical awe.

The gaze directed at the little alligator dragon was filled with undisguised mockery, as if watching a monkey show.

To be publicly humiliated by a group of mortals whom he regarded as ants!
The little alligator dragon felt as if it had been whipped a dozen times by an invisible whip on its face, burning with pain. Its ears were ringing, and it wished it could immediately reveal its true form and swallow the people in the fish market, along with this old man, whole!
The Turtle Prime Minister was terrified, cold sweat pouring down his face. He hurriedly approached the little alligator dragon, his voice trembling and filled with fear:

"Your Highness! This old Taoist priest...is extremely wicked! He is probably no good!"

"Perhaps we should...perhaps we should temporarily avoid confrontation."

"Let's think this through carefully... let's wait until the Dragon King returns before making any decisions!"

"The Dragon King is knowledgeable and resourceful; he can surely resolve this crisis!"

"We absolutely must not act rashly now!"

"You old fool, shut up!"

The little alligator dragon suddenly flicked its sleeve, rudely interrupting the Turtle Prime Minister!
The anger and intense resentment in his chest erupted like a volcano!

A fierce aura rushed straight to his head.

The cold-blooded predator's nature almost broke through the human disguise.

The pride of the dragon race, the repeated setbacks, the humiliation of being mocked by ants... all instantly overwhelmed the last shred of reason!
The little alligator dragon suddenly took a step forward, its vertical pupils flashing in its eyes as it locked onto Dongfang Kuai. Its voice, as if squeezed out from between its teeth, carried a desperate madness:

"Old man! You can calculate fish, shrimp, and loaches; you can calculate turtles and tortoises; you can calculate aquatic creatures and spirits; you can calculate the transformation of fish and dragons; you can even calculate... the wind and clouds in the sky, the rain in the river?" He suddenly unfolded his gleaming golden folding fan, pointed it at the gloomy sky, and shouted sharply:

"I'll 'bet' with you on this third divination! Since you know the will of Heaven and understand Yin and Yang, let's see how it goes..."

"When will the next rain fall in Chang'an, and how much sweet rain will it bring?!"

"If your calculations are accurate, I will kowtow and apologize, offering three hundred taels of gold as a token of my sincerity!"

"If you can't calculate it accurately..."

The little alligator dragon's mouth twisted into a ferocious, cruel arc, revealing its sharp, white teeth, and it spoke each word slowly and deliberately, as if pronouncing a death sentence:

"Go to the Wei River, find a heavy rock, hug it, and throw yourself in!"

"Old thing!"

"Are you willing to bet on this game?"

The moment those words were spoken, the entire room fell into absolute silence! You could hear a pin drop!
Then came gasps of shock and incredulous exclamations:

"hiss--"

"Gambling with your life?!"

"Count the raindrops?! Isn't that asking the impossible!"

"How... how can you count raindrops in this world?"

"Isn't this blatantly trying to drive someone to their death?!"

……

The crowd erupted in uproar, and discussions surged like a tidal wave.

Counting raindrops?

This is simply a fantasy!

Even a true deity would probably find it difficult to count the number of raindrops that fall from the sky and disappear in an instant!

This is clearly blatant harassment, an attempt to kill someone!

The Turtle Prime Minister was so frightened that he almost collapsed to the ground.

Finished!

His Highness the Crown Prince was blinded by rage and dared to wager such a legitimate position in the Heavenly Court as "Controlling Rain and Clouds"!

The Turtle Prime Minister was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan, but out of respect for the Little Crocodile Dragon, he dared not offer any further advice in front of everyone.

All eyes were on Dongfang Kuai, awaiting his reaction.

The old Taoist priest in plain clothes showed no fear whatsoever in the face of what seemed to be a hopeless situation. Instead, a hint of understanding and mockery flickered in the depths of his cloudy old eyes.

"Good wine..."

He slowly picked up the murky, earthy liquor in front of him, brought it to his lips, sipped it with a soft "slurp," and smacked his lips. Only then did he slowly raise his eyelids.

Those murky eyes seemed to pierce through the little alligator dragon whose face was contorted with rage, and looked directly at the intangible and formless will of Heaven.

Tieguai Li (alias Dongfang Kuai) smiled calmly and said:
"Very well. Since you insist on risking your life in front of everyone, I ask all of you elders and fellow villagers present to be my witnesses."

"If my calculations are inaccurate, there is no need for you to drive me away, young master. I will simply take off my clothes and throw myself into the river to keep my word."

"If the calculation is accurate..."

He paused meaningfully:
"Young master, please do not forget your promise of 'kowtowing and apologizing, and receiving three hundred taels of gold.' I hope that you, young master, with your noble status, will not break your word and become a laughing stock in front of the people of the city."

Say it.

Tieguai Li closed his eyes and began to calculate again with his fingers.

This time, time seemed to drag on exceptionally long.

All around were the rushing sound of the Wei River and the heavy, suppressed, furious breathing of the little alligator dragon.

After a long and agonizing ordeal, Dongfang Kuai slowly opened his eyes.

Tieguai Li slowly opened his eyes, his gaze calmly meeting the little alligator dragon's vertical pupils burning with golden flames. He spoke clearly and forcefully:
As the saying goes: "When it rains, the mountain is covered with a hat; when it doesn't rain, it's halfway up the mountain."

His gaze swept across the clouds swirling among the distant mountains, as if confirming the celestial phenomenon:

"I have observed the gathering and dispersing of these clouds and mists, and have also used divination and yin-yang methods to make deductions."

"It is predicted that around 3 PM tomorrow, a gentle rain will fall upon the city of Chang'an."

“Their number…”

He paused slightly, then continued:

"Its size is between four feet four inches and four feet five inches."

"Whether it's an inch more or an inch less, I, this old man, am willing to accept the punishment and throw myself into the river without any complaints!"

……

It was raining at that time, which Tieguai Li naturally did not know.

However, he knew roughly how much rain was expected at this time of year.

According to the current Qiantang Dragon King, who was once the Wei River Dragon King and the Yellow River Dragon King, the current emperor worships the gods with utmost devotion, and the incense offerings are very prosperous.

Judging from the rainfall in the Chang'an area in recent years, the Heavenly Court's Rain Department is determined to ensure that Chang'an enjoys favorable weather and abundant harvests.

Chang'an suffers from spring droughts and autumn floods, as well as hot summers and cold winters.

The Dragon King of Qiantang once controlled the rain here for many years and knew the local climate like the back of his hand.

Knowing the current season, today's rainfall, and the current weather conditions, one can roughly predict whether it will rain.

As the saying goes, "It's easy to dodge a spear in the open, but hard to guard against an arrow in the dark."

This is because someone with intention is calculating against someone without intention.

Tieguai Li secretly pondered to himself that he had already laid out a trap within a trap for this bet.

All that remains is to "invite the dragon into the urn".

……

"From four feet four inches to four feet five inches!"

The little alligator dragon was taken aback at first, then let out a piercing laugh:

"Hahaha! Good! Four feet four inches to four feet five inches! Old man, you said it yourself!"

"In front of the entire city!"

He was filled with wild joy and a violent certainty.

Rainfall points? Absolutely absurd!
In the little alligator dragon's view, this old Taoist priest was simply courting death.

At this moment.

As the dragon prince who is in charge of the Wei River Dragon King, he holds in his hands the "Eight Rivers Dividing Water Flag" and the "Dragon King's Water Dispatch Seal" left by his father!
The power to control clouds and rain, and the amount and intensity of rainfall, are all within the control of the Jinghe Water Palace!
He can make it rain as much as he wants tomorrow!

Even if this old Taoist priest really has some evil abilities, how could he possibly tamper with the "Dragon King's Water Seal" and its power to command water veins and condense clouds and rain?

That old bastard is dead meat!
This "feast of demonic cultivators" is something that Little Crocodile Dragon has decided to set up!
"A word is settled!"

The little alligator dragon grinned maliciously, its eyes filled with a ruthless confidence of victory.
"Tomorrow on the banks of the Wei River, I, this young master, will personally witness how you, this old man, will embrace a stone and throw yourself into the river to feed the fish!"

"let's go!"

The objective has been achieved.

There's no need to waste any more words on this "skeleton in the tomb".

With a snap, the little alligator dragon closed its folding fan, no longer glancing at Dongfang Kuai. It then led the fearful and hesitant Prime Minister Turtle away, pushing through the trembling crowd.

Only the silent crowd remained, along with the old Taoist priest in plain clothes who remained seated, unmoved and with a calm expression.

The dark sky outside the window is reflected in the cloudy wine glass.

The storm is coming and the wind is filling the building.

……

On the way home.

The wind howled and surged, carrying with it the salty, fishy smell of the river.

As Xiao Tuolong Tuojie pondered, he became increasingly smug, unable to suppress the smirk on his face.

He suddenly turned his head and said to the still absent-minded and worried Prime Minister:

"Prime Minister Gui, why do you act as if you have lost your parents?"

"That old bastard is already trapped like a turtle in a jar; he's doomed!"

Upon hearing the phrase "turtle in a jar," Prime Minister Turtle's lips twitched slightly. He wondered to himself whether the little alligator was subtly mocking Dongfang Kuai or also insulting him.

The little alligator dragon, oblivious to the danger, gently patted the cool, smooth "Dragon King's Water Seal" at its waist, its tone brimming with absolute confidence as it declared:

"The affairs of controlling clouds and rain in Chang'an City have always been solely handled by my Jinghe Water Palace!"

"How much rain will fall? How much? At what time? Isn't it all up to us to turn our hands and make it rain?"

"It all depends on my decision, the Dragon King's Water Seal!"

"That old Taoist priest from the East is nothing but a mortal, with only the eyes and flesh of a common man. How could he possibly glimpse or interfere with the mysteries of the power to control rain?"

How could he possibly know?

Having said that, the little alligator dragon proudly raised its chin, its eyes gleaming with a mixture of cunning and ferocity, and sneered:

"The bookmaker in this bet... is none other than me, Tuo Jie!"

(End of this chapter)